A future U.S. ambassador to the United Nations could be in a group of 29 Department of Defense Dependents Schools students traveling to Dublin, Ireland, later this month to participate in an international Model United Nations conference.
Students from Lakenheath and Mannheim high schools will represent other countries, draft resolutions and lobby their proposals during the March 21-24 event that will play host to 700 students from around the world.
The conference marks the first time the schools have traveled to Dublin for the gathering, said Patricia Schlachter, a Mannheim High School social studies teacher.
“This will prepare the students for real life because they are going to have to deal with people who have different opinions,” she said. “But just as important, they should come to understand that the need to stand up for what your country believes in is necessary.”
In working with students from as far away as India and Kuwait at the conference, Heidi McLaren, a 16-year-old senior at Lakenheath High School, hopes to offer international students an alternative to common stereotypes about Americans.
“By being a good representative and nice and caring, we can help people see that not all Americans turn a blind eye to the world,” she said.
Twelve students from Heidelberg High School are traveling to Beijing, China, to participate in a similar event this month.
